


yours sincerely

by castielfalls



Series: Letters [3]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 09:07:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13143462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castielfalls/pseuds/castielfalls
Summary: Barry and Oliver come to the realization that they stand a chance.





	yours sincerely

Oliver stands over the grave he’s long grown familiar with, light rain beating down on his face as he stares up at the grey sky. It has been one year since he last saw the man.

          He sighs and lifts the yellow post-it to his eyes again, eyes skating over the words for the hundredth time that day.

_Dear Oliver,_

          _I heard you._

_Love,_

_Barry_

          The note had sent Oliver into a state of alarm, but he took his coat and went to where Barry’s body was. So that leaves Oliver standing silently at Barry’s grave, waiting. Barry is alive, that much was certain. Oliver definitely didn’t write the note unconsciously, the handwriting is undoubtedly Barry’s neat all-caps scrawl. 

          “Ollie.”

          He turns around, his eyes falling on the hazel shade he’s slowly falling for.

          “Barry,” he breathes, taking in the sight. Barry looks fine. He looks real. _Is he real?_ Oliver moves forward, raising a hand to Barry’s cheek as he scans his eyes, as if all the questions he has can be answered through Barry’s dilated pupils.

          “You’re alive,” he finally manages to say without his voice cracking. Barry returns his faint smile with a bright one, one full of relief and welcoming.

          Barry says, his gaze falling from Oliver’s eyes to his lips in silent suggestion, “I missed you.”

          Oliver doesn’t say anything else, his other hand finding its way to Barry’s empty cheek as he presses his lips against Barry’s. Barry pauses momentarily to process what was happening before he happily returns the kiss. It’s quick and chaste, but enough for them both.

          “I missed you too,” Oliver replies. “We have a lot to catch up on. Where were you?”

          “Speed Force,” Barry answers. He lifts a stack of letters, holding it out to Oliver. “Um, I wrote these for you. Has pretty much everything that happened to me in there.” 

          Oliver hesitates before he also takes out his own stack of letters, saying, “I wrote to you too. Caitlin said it could help me cope with losing you.”

          They exchange letters and keep it, glancing back at the gravestone.

          Oliver asks, “Two weeks ago, I saw you in my bedroom.”

          Barry nods, “That was me.” His eyes finally notice the post-it and he smiles, “You got the note. I was worried you didn’t but you turned up here.”

          “Of course I did. It’s been so long, I was willing to take any chance I had to see you again,” Oliver says simply.

          Barry smiles genuinely before he pulls Oliver into another brief kiss. He pulls away just after he’s etched the taste of Oliver’s lips into his memory and presses their foreheads together, saying, “It feels so good to see you like this.”

          Oliver raises an eyebrow as his lips twitch in amusement, “Like what?”

          Barry’s eyes break the connection with Oliver’s and finds interest in the grass, “Alive.” 

          Oliver’s hand gently tilts Barry’s chin upwards to look at him again and he asks, “Do you want to talk about it?”

          Barry shrugs — Oliver already knows his answer. He says, “You want me to read the letters first.”

          Barry nods and Oliver returns the gesture, “Okay. Anything you want.” 

          A raindrop catches onto Barry’s eyelashes and he blinks, the raindrop rolling smoothly down his cheek. It takes less than a second for Oliver to remove his coat to offer it to Barry. Barry shakes his head, “No, you wear it. I’m fine.”

          Oliver doesn’t listen anyway, draping the coat over Barry’s shoulders as he pulls Barry close to his chest, breathing in his scent, “Where do you want to go now?”

          Barry closes his eyes and listens to Oliver’s heartbeat — it’s accelerating a little more the longer they keep contact. Barry answers, “Joe and Iris.”

          Oliver nods against Barry’s head and he runs a hand gently through his brown hair, “Okay. Let’s go, then.”

          He offers Barry a hand and he takes it gratefully, pressing himself to Oliver’s side as the older of the two leads them away from the empty grave.

* * *

Barry’s return has been emotional for everyone. Joe and Iris won’t stop sobbing as they welcome him home. Caitlin, Cisco and Harry are relieved and happy. Kara immediately travels to Earth-1 to see if Barry has truly returned. Felicity, Thea, Roy and Diggle celebrate back in Starling, unable to visit Central at the moment. Nobody notices the increase of affection between Barry and Oliver, chalking it up to Oliver being glad that he has his best friend back.

          Barry’s hand finds Oliver’s of its own accord as they enter Iron Heights. His father was going to see him again, he was going to see his father again. Pain stabs at him when he remembers that Nora is still not alive. Oliver squeezes his hand comfortingly and they sit, waiting for the officers to bring Henry in.

          Henry sees Oliver first because the booth walls block Barry from his line of sight. He greets Oliver with a smile but it falters when he realizes Oliver is smiling as well. He hasn’t done that in a long time, then he notices Barry sitting next to him.

          “Barry? Son, is that really you? I’m not dreaming, am I?” Henry asks, not sure if he can truly believe that his dead son was alive.

          Oliver nods and answers for Barry, “It’s a long story, but he wasn’t dead. He was just stuck somewhere, but he’s back now.”

          Henry wishes he could hug his son but the glass wall separates them, so he settles for pressing his fingertips to the glass. Barry places his hand over Henry’s and they share the moment before the officer orders them to back off.

          They spend the visit talking. Barry’s too emotionally drained from seeing Oliver die twice so he lets Henry bring him up to date. Oliver barely speaks but Barry’s hand fits nicely with his own on his lap so he doesn’t mind staying quiet.

          “Oliver, you’re quiet,” Henry finally says, taking notice of how Barry’s arm bends slightly to Oliver’s.

          Oliver smiles, “You just got your son back, Henry. I don’t think you would appreciate it if I tried to steal your moment.”

          Henry beams at the man and he says quietly, “Don’t think I don’t notice. I’ve held hands with Nora under the table so many times that I know when someone is doing it.”

          Oliver and Barry flush slightly but they bring their intertwined hands up anyway. Henry grins and leans forward to Barry, “I don’t know if he’s told you yet, but Oliver missed you as much as I do. He cares a lot, Barry. You boys just got reunited, so you don’t have to rush it, but if you think and talk it through and decide to get together, you have my complete support. Barry, you deserve someone who cares and respects you, and Oliver has shown me that he’s just that.”  

          Barry gives Oliver a small smile and Oliver feels his heart speed up just the slightest bit. How did it take him almost a year of Barry being ‘dead’ make him realize how he felt about him? 

          “And Oliver. This past year hasn’t been easy for all of us, but I can see that Barry’s death affected you the most out of all his friends,” Henry begins. Oliver copies Henry and leans in a little, giving him his full attention. Henry continues, “Every time you come here, I see you unhappy. For the first time, you’re smiling, and it’s because my son’s holding your hand.” Henry smiles at them and Oliver slowly lifts their hands to press a brief kiss to the back of Barry’s hand affectionately. 

          “I hope my son can keep you happy. You clearly make him happy and I just want you two to be with someone who does that,” Henry says. Oliver and Barry smile, border-lining on shyly. They thank Henry and then the visit is over. 

          Barry decides to sleep over in Oliver’s house instead of the West’s. Oliver is almost too happy to oblige, cleaning up the guest room for him before Barry specifies that he doesn’t want the guest room, at least not for the night. Oliver takes the hint and returns him his sweater before leading them to his own room. Barry simply wants the comfort of knowing that Oliver is alive and Oliver accepts it without asking any questions.

* * *

Barry ends up moving into Oliver’s guest room permanently by the end of the month and Oliver doesn’t complain. Caitlin agrees that someone should stay with Oliver to watch over his mental state. She doesn’t think Oliver will fall back into his suicidal headspace but she knows that both of them can use the company. She also thought that Barry might be traumatized from his experience in the Speed Force and that Oliver can help him as much as Barry can help him back. Joe and Iris are a little upset by Barry’s decision to move out but they support it anyway, helping him move his stuff into the guest room. Oliver sells the extra bed to make space for Barry’s furniture.

          Oliver has yet to read the letters and he’s sure Barry hasn’t opened his either. It’s only when Barry finally decides to return to work at CCPD that Oliver lays the letters out on his bed and opens the first one to read.

          It’s past dinnertime when Oliver finally wills himself through the more painfully written letters and he returns them back into his drawer. He finally knows why Barry is terrified — Oliver’s died twice in the alternate timeline right in front of him. He can’t look at Oliver without remembering the blood on his arms or the rope around his neck.

          He spends the evening trying his best to make pasta for dinner and Barry comes home just in time. Oliver’s starving from his skipped lunch but he gives his dinner to Barry anyway, saying he isn’t hungry. Barry eats it gratefully and so Oliver brings up Flashpoint.

          “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” he says softly.

          Barry shuts his eyes before he nods, “No, I want to talk about it. I just… seeing you like that scares me. Seeing you so depressed and coming home to you bloody or dead… I don’t ever want to see that again. Promise me you won’t do that.”

          Oliver pulls Barry to his chest and tells him he promises that he will never try to end his life again. It’s the first time Oliver hasn’t lied about that since Barry’s death.

          Oliver sleeps early that night and Barry finished reading through Oliver’s letters. He ends up getting slightly scared and that’s how he finds himself sneaking into Oliver’s room into his bed. Oliver’s more than happy to accommodate Barry, shifting to give him room as he puts his arm around him.

          “I like you a lot, Oliver,” Barry whispers when he’s sure that Oliver’s asleep. “I like you a bit too much, I think.”

          “That’s okay,” Oliver whispers back into Barry’s hair, his hand interlocking with Barry’s. “I like you too.”

* * *

It takes Barry two days to ask Oliver about his time without him. The conversation ends as soon as it starts — Oliver missed Barry more than he should and he let his grief over losing people get the best of him. Laurel, Sara, Shado, Tommy and Moira were bad enough and then he lost Barry, someone who has brought nothing but light into his life since he first met him. Oliver tells Barry that he doesn’t see any point in a life without him.

          Barry makes him promise for the second time that if he ever finds himself thinking about ending it again, he has to talk to him, no compromises. Oliver promises, truly promises.

          They don’t bring up the Flashpoint period again. It takes a few more nights of nightmares for Barry to fully accept that Oliver isn’t going anywhere and sometimes Barry has to assure a very tired Oliver that he’s really back. Barry makes sure he throws all the razors out and he keeps ropes and long cords locked up in his drawer so Oliver doesn’t get any ideas. It takes Oliver two months to convince Barry that he doesn’t want to die and Barry hesitantly relents.

          Three months into Barry’s move-in and Barry’s things start finding a place in Oliver’s room — his shirt on Oliver’s chair, his books on his desk, his body in Oliver’s bed. Barry sleeps in Oliver’s room more than he sleeps in his own and they agree to just move his belongings to Oliver’s room and switch out their two queens for a king. They settle on Flash bedsheets because Barry won’t shut up about them.

          Barry goes to Central City every alternate day, going to work and saving his city. Oliver goes to work at Queen Consolidated and Felicity and Diggle can’t help but notice the return of a little spring in his step, lost when  he lost Barry. 

          Felicity and Diggle make a point to bring him to the foundry later that night and Thea asks him if he likes Barry. Oliver doesn’t answer for a while but he settles for yes, because damn him if he doesn’t realize how happy that speedster makes him feel. Felicity tells him to let Barry know. Oliver says he’ll think about it and Diggle drives him home. He’s happy to oblige when Oliver asks him to bring him back to his house. It’s the first time the CEO is asking him to do so and he can’t believe how excited he is to accept the request.

          He only speaks when Oliver does — which admittedly, was far less than Diggle was hoping for — but he appreciates the hint of a smile he catches on Oliver’s face the closer they get home.

          “He’s there, isn’t he?” Diggle asks not-so-subtly.

          Oliver breaks into a genuine grin and he nods, “He is. Well, thanks for the ride, Dig. I’ll see you around. I’m sure you’re busy with the Green Arrow business.”

          Diggle shakes his head, “No, no. We always have time for you. Quite frankly, we miss having you around, Oliver. It’ll be nice to see you in green again.”

          Oliver’s hand pauses on the door handle and he says, “Maybe some day, just not now.”

          “We’ll wait for you,” Diggle says and Oliver is out of his car, walking up to the front porch. He sees light through the thin curtains covering the windows and smiles to himself as he unlocks the door to see Barry in one of his shirts, dancing as he sings into a wooden spoon.

          “ _Look into my eyes and you'll see I’m the only one_ ,” Barry sings, still unaware of Oliver’s return. “ _You’ve captured my love, stolen my heart, changed my life —_ “

          Barry smoothly slides into the living room from the kitchen, lightning crackling with him as he spins around dramatically.

          His grin widens when he notices Oliver, who joins in, “ _Every time you make a move, you destroy my mind. And the way you touch, I lose control and shiver deep inside._ ”

          “ _You take my breath away!_ ” Barry sings loudly, pointing at Oliver who rolls his eyes fondly. He puts his bag on the couch and follows Barry into the kitchen, the _Queen_ track playing faintly in the background. He sees the cookbook open to a page on cake and hears the ticking of the oven. 

          It’s only then Oliver remembers that it’s his birthday.

          "I was counting on you to be home at nine like you always are,” Barry says apologetically. “I did use super speed but the oven is incredibly slow. I —“

          Barry doesn’t get to finish his apology when Oliver presses a light kiss to his lips, a small smile settling on his features, “Barry, it’s okay. At least we can decorate the cake together. Thank you.”

          Barry grins and asks, “You thought I wouldn’t remember your special day, did you?”

          Oliver laughs, “Honestly, I didn’t remember my own birthday, so you win.”

          Barry’s smile falls slightly when he learns that Oliver doesn’t even recall his own birthday but he doesn’t say anything, only continuing to sing into his wooden spoon, “ _I could give up all my life for just one kiss._ ”

          “ _I would surely die_ ,” Oliver chimes in, leaning against the kitchen counter as Barry moves around to clean up. “ _If you dismiss me from your love…_ ”

          “ _You take my breath away_ ,” Barry sings as he cleans the dishes with his speed.

          “ _So please don't go, don't leave me here all by myself_ ,” Oliver continues, making his way to Barry as he tentatively holds Barry’s hand. He looks deeply into Barry’s eyes as he sings, “ _I get ever so lonely from time to time._ ”

          Barry returns the sincere gaze and he puts his other hand over Oliver’s, “ _I will find you. Anywhere you go, I'll be right behind you. Right until the ends of the earth._ ”

          “ _I'll get no sleep till I find you to tell you that you just take my breath away_ ,” Oliver grins, his cheeks heating up slightly. Barry’s eyes are unbelievably pretty and his smile was like sunshine.

          Barry sings, not breaking eye contact with Oliver, “ _I'll get no sleep ’til I find you to tell you when I've found you —_ “

          “— _I love you_ ,” they finish together. _Queen_ fades out but the song is long forgotten when Barry pulls Oliver’s face to his to bring him into a kiss. Oliver’s hands, abandoned by Barry’s, travel to his waist to pull him closer. The kiss isn’t brief or light like they’re used to, it’s slow and deep and full of withheld affection.

          They pull away when the closing chords of _You Take My Breath Away_ are replaced by the opening chords of _Can’t Help Falling In Love_. Their cheeks are stained red by exhilaration and adoration but neither man comments on it.

          They’re both a little breathless after the kiss but Barry’s in such a good mood that he starts singing the song, “ _Wise men say only fools rush in, but I can’t help falling in love with you_.”

          Oliver shakes his head ridiculously but he joins Barry anyway, “ _Shall I stay? Would it be a sin if I can’t help falling in love with you?_ ”

          Barry moves away from Oliver and out of the kitchen and he sings, “ _Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling so it goes, some things are meant to be…_ ”

          Oliver follows him out and takes Barry’s hand, “T _ake my hand, take my whole life too —_ “

          Barry joins Oliver and they finish the line, “ _— for I can’t help falling in love with you._ ”

          Oliver pulls Barry in for another kiss and he pulls away as soon as their lips touch. Barry gives him an adorably confused smile and Oliver finds himself falling harder and harder with every passing second. 

          “Everything in my life is terrible and I’m always sad, yet I’m so happy,” Oliver begins. His words make Barry shy and curious but he doesn’t make any clever remark, willing Oliver to continue. “You look small in my shirts and you always tell me weird facts I don’t ask for. You sing _Queen_ songs too loudly in the shower and you keep referencing Hamilton when the chance arises. You force us to stop so you can make snow angels when it snows and you leave stupid notes on my laptop that I find when I get to work. You annoy me so much and I swear you’re gonna drive me crazy one day.” Barry raises an eyebrow but he still grins like an idiot because despite the supposed insults, he can’t help but feel like he knows where the conversation is going. “And yet, I’m so happy.”

          “I’m glad you are,” Barry responds sincerely. Oliver’s fond smile reaches his eyes.

          “Go out with me,” Oliver says so softly Barry almost doesn’t catch it, but he does and it sends him giggling uncontrollably.

          “I would love to,” he answers. Oliver breaks into a grin and peppers Barry’s face with light kisses, causing Barry to laugh harder, “Ollie, stop — _stop_!”

          “Where’d you come from, Barry Allen?” Oliver asks once he ceases his kisses and Barry’s cheeks are pink and his pupils are dilated and Oliver is just so very in love with his friend.

          Barry remembers those words from Flashpoint, when he and Oliver went out to get iced tea together and he smiles, “I’ve always been here, Oliver.”

          “I love you.”

          “I love you too.”

          “Seriously though, stop singing _Queen_.”

          “ _She's a killer queen! Gunpowder, gelatine._ ”

          “ _Barry_.”

          “ _Dynamite with a laser beam._ ”

          “… _Guaranteed to blow your mind._ ”

 

**Fin.**


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